Really? You leave it in the hands of the justice system to protect you? Will somebody please tell me who these naive women are?

Every homo knows that when we need protection, we do not rely on the government or the cops or the courts. We have our own gay mafia! And they are called the Hijra community. Now please don’t twist my words. I love and highly respect the the hijra community. I do not discriminate within the community (only outside of it!).

But for some unfathomable reason, straight men have a morbid fear of hijras who are harmless as butterflies. Hijras are smart, intelligent, beautiful and can win any argument in logic with panache. Basically, they’re just like us. But straight men? They won’t even meet Hijras in the eye. So why not use their weakness against them? You want protection, call on your hijra friends! Here’s what will happen:

Gundas wanting to harm you come to your door and ring the doorbell. You open the door and walk backwards into your house feigning disbelief and fear. Gundas follow you in, in Bollywood style leering at your supposed helplessness. But then SLAM! Front door closes, gunda turns around to see fabulously dressed hijra blocking his exit with a belan (the thing used to make chappatis) in her hand, very dramatically staring at him. Goon panics, pees in his pants and a Tom & Jerry style chase shall ensue!

Moral of the story: Seek protection within your community, cause even the straights know that the cops are useless.

On second thoughts, going by reputation (and experience)…one should just hire MJ!

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Sherlock Homo - No it does not imply that she is curious or that she investigates murder mysteries in 19th century London. As witty as her pen name, Ms. Homo is very well travelled and No, I don't mean the usual markets of Bangkok or a family trip to Universal Studios! I mean the French Rivera, temple ruins in Cambodia, safaris in Botswana.. always on the road less travelled where life experiences and life choices are concerned. Her perspective is unique and you will want to read all about what she has to share. If you don't, prepare yourself to get left behind on lifestyle, gay culture and all things cool. Read on...

Dear Sherlock,
Humor in this case is uncalled for.
I don’t know how much you are aware of ground realities. There are hardly ten support groups in all of India for LBT women. In indore there are none, I have been helping a budding group in Indore but there is only one woman so far and finding others is a slow and tedious process.
How much ever claims we make about being there for each other, the reality is that each community only cares about its kind. I’m assuming this hijra bit is said entirely in jest because reality is far from what you imagine.
In fact one assumes that these women must be under a lot of pressure that they seek help from the HC, this might also be because on an earlier occasions one of the HCs did grant security for a lesbian couple. Its upsetting because now they must be being harassed and pressurized even more.
The condition of LBT women is really sad in indian villages/towns, be happy that a tleast we didn’t get their suicide report.
In case anyone else has been following them, and knows more details about them please put me touch.
And once again I think in matters such as this where all you know their lives must be at stake, please don’t make fun.

Sonal’s comment brought me to this post. First of all, Sherlock: Welcome to Gaysi!

I think Sherlock intended to poke fun at the state of law enforcement / justice system in our country and not at the couple who sought help from the court. But unfortunately it didn’t come across that way, but I give her the benefit of doubt.

As Sonal pointed out these women could be in serious danger, so we shouldn’t call them naive for going to the court. I also agree with Sonal that it is not always easy to reach out for help within the community. It is actually not wise! I would rather go to a queer/ queer friendly organization for help, not to individuals or a group.

Sherlock, i am personally inclined to believe that you wrote the part about hijra defense force as a humour. but just for the highlights, if anyone remember the series of scam about threatening to expose gaymen in chennai a year ago. (MP users would remember) some of the involved antagonist used to extortion from the aravannis too (chennai’s word for hijra).

I believe Sherlock Homo is indulging in what is popularly known as sarcasm. Let’s all lighten up a bit and not be so quick to get offended. Yes, we’re fighting for a cause we all take very seriously. But that doesn’t mean we forget how to laugh. Like The Joker says, Why so seriousssss?

Nobody is attacking the two women here. I think you’ve misunderstood the whole post. The inefficiency of the system was being pointed out. And how incapable authorities are when it comes to providing protection to the ones who need it.

At least someone’s offering a solution to the problem, in theory. It’s pretty obvious that Sherlock was being facetious in her diatribe. I mean, come on. Sonal, please. I don’t know you, but let’s take Homo’s irony at face value. The plight of these two women is grave, and while I reckon intersexuals (*cough* the politically correct term) wouldn’t be the wisest port of call (come on, we all have our problems), we need a bit of satire. The sad truth is these women are helpless – and even in case of a suicide or homicide, the government would revert to cover-up tactics than wave the flag for justice. The gay cause is far from effective in this country. We are still pushing for decriminalization in the courts in top tier cities, so what hope is there elsewhere? As much as we privileged lot are masturbating the issue, LGBT all over the country are being victimized and so prefer to live in their proverbial closets, where they *should* remain for some time to come. It’s better they play it safe than put their lives in the hands of cracked-out justice. As Homo correctly points out, the system is impotent – and moreover, dangerous to the gay agenda. If I were these two women, I would continue a love affair in secret or catch a train to somewhere else and start a new life. Where there’s a pair of hands and feet, there’s work. I also think education in non-top tier cities and rural areas about gender and sexuality is the next social enterprise waiting to happen. A operator helpline service should be made available that is registered at police stations around the country, so that persons like these have some recourse to the correct (legal) advice. Wishful thinking, perhaps? I’m not sure how the “enterprise” part of that would work out, but hey I’m not an entrepreneur. I just generate good ideas. Peace.

I apologize that you come from a dark world that contains no sense of humor. If you can read properly, you will see that I am not making a mockery the situation of the women involved. I would never do such a thing like that. So get off your high horse and laugh a little.

I am making a mockery of the fact that people, in general, have faith in our government and justice system. Look at the mockery of what we call “justice” shining so brightly in the Kasab matter…. The point is, as many above have claimed, the girls should have asked for the help of gay rights organization, and not the courts. What you seem to not appreciate is the fact that I used the word naïve. In my personal opinion, anyone who has faith in our courts and cops is naïve. Had this article been about straight women, or straight men, neither you nor anyone would have taken offense to the fact that I called them naïve. I find that highly hypocritical.

Secondly, I don’t take digs at your character; so don’t take one at mine. I got your comment, and I got that you don’t appreciate what I have to say. Well, then kindly refrain from reading anything I write. I will not let YOU or anyone stop me from living a rainbow filled life with happiness and laughter.

Just in case you were wondering, no, suicide doesn’t tickle my funny bone. My uncle committed suicide so I am very well aware of the psychological state that leads someone to such a dark place. Additionally, I am very well versed with the effects it has had on me, and his children. I hope whomever this person is that you are talking about can finally find peace.

And for that person’s sake I hope that his/her best friend deletes all his/her texts messages and emails. Can you imagine if their mother were to find their sexts? TRES AWKWARRRDDD!

Dear Everyone else,

This piece was not written to offend anyone. It was pure satire, farce, exaggeration and meant to be totally over the top. Thank you for giving me the benefit of the doubt.

It pains me that you still do not realize the gravity of what I have just written. I repeat there are hardly any people working for LBT women and there are no LBT focused organisations in Indore. Again there are very few lesbian/bisexual women speaking to media (I being one of them) so we are further invisiblized. These women probably never got to us because of this very invisibility. So much for your argument of reaching out to gay organisations.

Kasab and this case is entirely different. When your entire family maybe against you, you do not have any choice other than to take help from the HC. I entirely understand that this may not be a good idea considering the track record of our government, but just understand what their condition is if this what they resorted to. And no my stand would not be different if it was an inter caste straight couple either. So no you have no right to call me a Hypocrite.

As far as your post goes, the way you have written it, it comes across to me as well as a lot of other people as a “mockery”, possibly what you wanted to write has not come across as you intended to. Its just sad that in order to be defensive you do not once try to relook into it based on the reactions you have got.

And NO where have I taken a dig at your character. So do not use that tone with me, continue with your rainbow filled life, thats PRECISELY what I want and have been working openly towards.

The suicide bit was never intended to tickle anyones funny bone, it was said so that people understand the seriousness of the situation these women are in.

Another advice, don’t judge people when you haven’t been in their shoes.
Humor has its place, use it wisely. No, I am not from a dark world filled with no humor. I have much more hope and courage than most people double my age. Being where I am I have to be serious. Bad jokes are not laughed at, hope you will realize that yours was a bad one. I am honest and opinionated will continue to comment what I feel, be it you or any other writer.

If we fight each other, shoot each other down, what hope do we have to win this battle? Our anger should be directed outwards to the powers-that-be that oppress, suppress and prevent us from living our lives. THEY are the ones who are the perpetrators, yet our anger is directed inwards, within the community to each of our own, because we are easy targets for each other. Well, fuck that. If you care so much, do something about it. We live in our golden cages, scratching our own backs, gleefully declaring “I am out!” So what if we have that bit of courage?! We are also privileged. If not us, then who?

We victimize ourselves. We are invisible, because we wear veils.

Good for you Sonal that you live your life with courage. For every one of you, there are a hundred more who can but don’t. And for every hundred of those, there’s someone in a village somewhere having a blessed romance, a love affair with someone of their own choice, despite all odds.

Kudos to them. Shame on us.

I have met so many hypocritical cowards in this city I live in, so many that live behind the veil, live double lives, love in secret, but live society’s rules just to get by. And I meet so many who have become corroded with cynicism. They say “Oh, but it’s so complicated for me.” I say “Fuck you. You are the reason this system is failing us. You have the power to make a difference.” For most of these women with complicated lives, it’s not so complicated. They are just plain lazy, can’t bat an eyelid to change their own lives, let alone the system’s.

The fact that these two women, without de facto power or privilege, found the courage (whether borne out of naivete or fear is immaterial) to approach the justice system is a powerful act, so powerful in fact that queer people are talking about this in their living rooms all over the country (and maybe outside of it). And here we are debating semantics, while throwing a few stones at one another.

We are all a bit queer, aren’t we?

The truth is it doesn’t matter what the outcome is. These two women have made a piece of history in Queer India. Their fate is left open. I only hope their courage leaks into the hearts and minds of those who have the power to shake the system. People like us.

Lol…the article is funny…I can see where you are coming from…totally ripe with sarcasm and to some extent even Gallows Humour. But I dont think its everybody’s cup of tea (or coffee if you please) to kind of laugh it out. We seem to live in a society governed by Bollywood and TV Soap Opera so unless we get all melodramatic and over the top emotional about issues, most people cannot appreciate the issue we address through humour. It has always disappointed me how under appreciated humour, especially satire, as a form of discussing social issues, is…

To me the article in all its “fun and games” addresses lack of institutionalised support from the system, transphobia, a greater need for unity and building up those channels etc. I totally get that this is not about making a “mockery” of the two women or criticising their ways but using this situation to criticise other things such as lack of governmental support. But unfortunately as I said most people dont get sarcasm.

I do look forward to reading more funny stuff…And to others, Wylie Sypher once said “To be able to laugh at evil and error means we have surmounted them”

Dear Sonal, at Gaysi we do take care of what we publish and let me assure you, this piece was not written/published with the intention of hurting the sentiments of the Queers. But with the sole purpose of highlighting the “mockery” the Indian constitution has made of our so called democratic rights.

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